Major IL Walker donors, DNR land swappers in news

Right-wing money keeps flowing across the Wisconsin-Illinois border. 

Politico.com Monday launched a long profile of ultra-conservative Illinois-based political funders Elizabeth and Richard Uihlein, and it's definitely worth a read.

Uihlein and his wife, Elizabeth, are currently the biggest Republican donors of the 2018 midterm elections, having given $21 million to candidates for federal office and super PACs that will support them. And that doesn’t include their funding of state candidates, like [Illinois GOP Gov. primary hopeful Jean] Ives...

In Wisconsin, [Richard] Uihlein’s support alone vaulted a long-shot Republican candidate to the front of the pack for the Republican Senate nomination. The candidate, Kevin Nicholson, was initially met with skepticism from fellow Republicans due to his past role as president of the College Democrats of America — until Uihlein decided to support Nicholson after a meeting with him, brokered by a mutual friend. Eight different super PACs that receive Uihlein funds, including the Club for Growth, have signaled their support for Nicholson, convinced by Nicholson’s conversion story, as Uihlein was. 

The Uihleins, based in Lake Forest and heavily involved in Trump-world politicking, too, have high-profile business, residential and political interests in Wisconsin, too.

I've written about the couple's land dealings with the Wisconsin DNR and its oversight board - - both controlled by Walker, a substantial Uihlein campaign donation recipient.

Two years ago, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign tracked $26 million in recent Uihlein donations nationally, with Walker a major benefactor.

Media have noted the couple's campaign donations to Walker and the boost they are giving to the Nicholson for Senate effort in the GOP primary underway now.